Connecticut Boat Club Shines on Both Coasts

FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. – Competing on opposite coasts, Connecticut Boat Club rowers had an impressive medal haul in two meets over the weekend. In Newport Beach, Calif., the Norwalk-based team won three silver medals while rowers at Head of the Riverfront in Hartford won one gold and two bronze medals. The meets wrapped up the fall racing season for the team.

At the Newport Autumn Rowing Festival, the Connecticut Boat Club Varsity 8+ took second with coxswain Ali Hornung, India Knight, Tori Babchak, Deirdre Fitzpatrick, Abby Stevenson, Meg Galloway, Katie deHaas, Katherine Squitieri and Sarah Schwartz.

Greenwich's Lexie Lynn, who is rowing for the team while taking a gap year before attending Dartmouth, grabbed second in the 1x.

The Varsity 4+ took second with Hornung, Knight, Babchak, Fitzpatrick and Galloway. The 4+ B team took eighth with Steph Leone, Squitieri, Bea Nash, Holly Geffs and Schwartz.

“All in all, it was a great weekend,’’ coach Liz Trond said. “We performed very well traveling to the West Coast, borrowing all equipment and using different equipment than we are used to. It was a great way to wrap up the fall season, and see what kind of work we need to do this winter in order to be able to compete with the top programs in the country. Only two athletes and one coxswain returned to Newport from the 2010 race, and we are really encouraged by the results with such a young group.”

Trond’s team had similar success at the Head of the Riverfront. The Varsity 8+ team finished third with Kassie Boliakis (cox) Kylie Maier, Kendra Shutts, Paige Voigt, Kirsten Wessel, Lizzie Steinborn, Jess Ferrante, Maggie Roberts and Emily Olsen.

The Novice 8+ won with coxswain Katie Lashendock, Kylie Maier, Kate Hickey, Paige Voigt, Isabel Fitter, Juliet Ruhe, Casey, Kate Tyrell and Janie Roach. The B team took third with cox Kassie Boliakis, Margaret Bonnell, Payton Garrity, Keely Bushby, Catherine Wilcock, Kelly Caione, Lucy Magee, Kat Norton and Kate Renaud.

The Varsity 4x with Maggie Roberts, Kirsten Wessel, Lizzie Steinborn and Kendra Shutts finished fourth.

Complete results of the Newport and Riverfront regattas are available online. Rowers interested in joining the team for winter workouts can find more information at the team’s website.

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